Mr ANDREWS —My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister inform the House of the latest developments concerning the conflict in Kosovo? What is the Australian government doing to aid those who are caught in the conflict?

Mr DOWNER (Foreign Affairs) —I thank the honourable member for Menzies for his question as well, and for the interest he shows in the appalling humanitarian crisis of Kosovo.

First of all, the Australian government has given what diplomatic support we can to the contact group. When I was in Europe during the course of the last week I was pleased to have the opportunity to speak with, amongst others, the British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, and other officials in Europe about the crisis in Kosovo. I think the efforts that have been made, particularly by Foreign Secretary Robin Cook and his French counterpart, Mr Vedrine, is quite a considerable achievement. I very much hope that the talks at Rambouillet in France, which are scheduled to get under way today, will be successful and that we see some substantial progress at last in terms of achieving the autonomy package that is being proposed by the contact group.

As I mentioned earlier, we have also been very concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the political disaster of Kosovo. We recently provided $100,000 to help with the problem there, but I know that other countries are doing a great deal to assist as well. We judge that the best contribution overall that Australia can make to this issue is for us to provide as strong a diplomatic support as we can for the contact group for the negotiations between the Yugoslav government and the secessionists in Kosovo and to hope that those negotiations can produce a constructive autonomy package which will help to bring peace to that troubled part of the Balkans.